In the production process of semiconductor devices, for example, semiconductor chips are produced by forming a circuit such as IC, LSI or the like in a plurality of areas arranged in a lattice form on the surface of a substantially disk-like semiconductor wafer and dicing the areas having the circuit formed along predetermined streets (cutting lines) with a cutting machine. When the semiconductor wafer is thus diced with a cutting machine, it is supported to a frame by an adhesive tape so that divided semiconductor chips are not separated from one another. The support frame is formed in an annular form, and has an opening for storing the semiconductor wafer and a tape-affixing portion to which the tape is affixed, and the semiconductor wafer is adhered to the tape that is situated at the opening. Thus, a plurality of semiconductor chips obtained by dividing the semiconductor water supported to the support frame by the adhesive tape are carried to the subsequent die bonding step in a state of being supported to the support frame by the adhesive tape, picked up from the adhesive tape by a die bonder one by one and mounted to a predetermined position of a lead frame or package.
To facilitate the pick-up work of the semiconductor chips by the die bonder, a so-called UV tape whose adhesive force is reduced by exposure to ultraviolet radiation is generally used as the adhesive tape. After the semiconductor wafer is divided into a plurality of semiconductor chips, the adhesive tape is exposed to ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, when a so-called UV tape is used as the adhesive tape for supporting the semiconductor wafer to the frame, a UV exposure step is required after the step of dicing by a cutting machine, thereby reducing productivity.
To solve the above problem, the present applicant proposed a cutting machine provided with an ultraviolet light irradiation unit so that while the next semiconductor wafer is being diced, the diced semiconductor wafer is carried to an ultraviolet light irradiation unit in order to irradiate a so-called UV tape affixed to the diced semiconductor wafer with ultraviolet radiation.
Thus, to provide the cutting machine with the ultraviolet light irradiation unit, an installation space is needed, which is the cause of impeding a downsizing of the cutting machine. The cutting machine provided with an ultraviolet light irradiation unit requires a conveyance means for carrying the diced semiconductor wafer to the ultraviolet light irradiation unit, thereby making the whole structure of the apparatus complex and boosting its cost.
The present invention has been made in the light of the above fact, and the technical object of the present invention is to provide a cutting machine which enables it to be reduced in size and can have an ultraviolet light irradiation unit without addition of a conveyance means.